The new art of war

The National Journal has an interesting article on cyberwar, pointing out some of the opportunities and hazards associated with this new form of conflict. It's very different from anything we've seen before and it demands very careful consideration to avoid attacks damaging valuable business assets. It's also a very sneaky form of conflict. As I've often said, it's more the art of illusion than the science of sabotage.

It's also far too easy to trigger covert attacks. Minor, local conflicts can quickly escalate and cause global impact. In cyberspace, as John Suler points out in his online book The Psychology of Cyberspace, people can be tempted to go much further than they might in the physical world, exploring dark subjects, taking risks and becoming unusually hostile.

Cyberspace is a surprisingly dangerous medium in which to conduct warfare. Let's hope that future cyber warriors are alert to the dangers.